The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

You probably know that meditation is an effective way to relax, but it can be used for many other purposes too. If you’re trying to build your confidence, a daily mindfulness practice may help,

Self-confidence is one of the most important ingredients for your happiness and success. It makes you feel more motivated and energetic. It helps you to reach your goals. It can even strengthen your relationships and enhance your health. The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

Do you want to feel surer of yourself and your ability to face life’s challenges? Learn how to use meditation to build your self-esteem and confidence.

Using Meditation to Increase Your Awareness The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

Self-doubts can narrow your experiences and opportunities if you shy away from taking risks. Meditation creates a safe space for looking at yourself and your habits with honesty and courage.

Try these strategies: The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

1. Scan your body. Your posture affects your confidence. Start your meditation session by sitting up tall and taking deep breaths. Examine yourself from head to foot to spot any discomfort. Try squeezing your muscles and then releasing them.

2. Let go of judgements. Notice your thoughts and feelings without criticizing them. Embrace your strengths and weaknesses. The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

3. Challenge your assumptions. Do you cling to outdated beliefs that hold you back? Rewire your thinking by examining your typical reactions and considering more constructive approaches.

4. Make conscious decisions. It’s easy to wind up drifting along on autopilot. Mindfulness practices help you to take charge of your life.

Using Meditation to Generate Compassion

You may be undermining your self-confidence without even realizing it. Paying attention to your thoughts gives you an opportunity to transform the way you treat yourself. The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

These techniques can help you to be kind to yourself and boost your confidence:

1. Change your self-talk. What does your internal chatter sound like? Replace harsh messages with friendlier feedback.

2. Chant mantras. Reciting uplifting words and phrases is a proven way to stay focused during meditation. Write your own encouraging affirmations or find inspiration in scriptures and self-help books. The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

3. Nurture yourself. Scheduling daily meditation time is a great way to start investing in your confidence and wellbeing. Make healthy eating, regular exercise, and restorative sleep part of your routine too.

4. Seek support. Childhood memories and other influences can make it difficult to show compassion for yourself. Consider listening to guided meditations or talking with a therapist if you need more assistance.

Using Meditation to Accomplish More The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

True confidence comes from within and recognizing your achievements can give you a boost. Meditation teaches you to live more mindfully, and that can help you to excel in your personal and professional life.

1. Slow down. The stress of rushing around can erode your confidence. You’ll probably accomplish more with less effort as meditation trains you to move more deliberately. Figure out your priorities and shorten your to do list. Take breaks throughout the day to prevent burnout. The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

2. Express gratitude. Being thankful makes you feel more secure and connected to others. You’ll have the confidence to take worthwhile risks and try new things. Your warm and relaxed attitude will also make it easier to collaborate with others.

3. Keep practicing. Change is usually a gradual process. Be patient with yourself as you build your confidence. Expect some setbacks and evaluate your progress on a regular basis. You’ll probably find that meditating is more productive on some days than others. You’re a success as long as you keep trying.

4. Create balance. Meditation helps you to look at the big picture. As you balance the various aspects of your life, your confidence and peace of mind increase. The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

Meditation can make your confidence soar. When you love and appreciate yourself for who you are, your life becomes richer and more rewarding.

The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

“There is only one true success. To be able to live your own life in your own way.” – Christopher Morley 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

Most people look at the Richard Branson’s and the Elon Musk’s of this world and see them as super successful.

But what if you’re not “most people”? What if you light up over other stories about more tangible, more heart-warming activities that touch your soul? 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

For example, maybe you read a story about a man who spent his whole life planting trees and created a huge new forest that stabilized the soil, attracted a whole new generation of wildlife, and helped address the climate change issue, and thought, “WOW! That is awesome! I wish I had done that.” 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

Or maybe you read a story about a woman who sold everything she had to start a Dog Sanctuary, where she took in all the dogs that people had thrown out, nursed them back to health, trained them, and found forever homes for them with loving families, and it made you cry, and you thought, “I wish that was me.”

What Do You Want? 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

In the real world, the vast majority of people are not interested in climbing the corporate ladder. Nor are they really interested in being a multi-millionaire. Profit, power, and prestige don’t interest them.

What they are really interested in is doing something they love, something that they can feel passionate about, something that makes them want to stay up late and get up to start early because they absolutely love what they do. Something that their soul yearns for and makes their heart sing. 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

But most of those same people feel trapped in a job they don’t like, working way too hard for too little money. Most of them have too much month left over at the end of the money, and they are sick of it. Worse still, they have no idea of how to get out of it, so they feel trapped.

Are you like these people? 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

Here are 10 things you can do to move away from what you don’t want and toward what you do want: 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

1. Avoid putting up with things, circumstances, or people that make you feel bad. Life is short. Let go of it all, starting today. Take one step at a time. Make a conscious effort to eliminate everything in your life that doesn’t fill you with joy or inspiration.

2. Pay attention to what catches your eye, piques your interest, and causes you to think. Take notes on all of those things – where you saw them, what it was that got your interest, and how you feel about those topics. Somewhere in there is a vibrant future for you.

3. Design your ideal day. What time would you get up? What would your ideal home look like? Where would you live? What would you do with your time? Who would you spend time with? How would it all make you feel?

4. Collect stories of people who inspire you. Start making notes on hobbies, activities, or careers that you feel you would like to explore. Start doing some research. Then find someone who is already doing that and go talk with them. 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

> Buy them coffee, lunch or interview them. Ask lots of questions. Take good notes.

5. Once a week, take everything you’ve thought about, collected, and researched and put it onto the table like a jigsaw. Look for all the commonalities in what you’ve discovered. Think of it like a treasure map that you need to complete to find your fortune. 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

6. Think about starting a part-time business that you could run from home. Something that would give you a sense of freedom, independence, and an income independent of your job. Even if it’s only modestly successful, you could use the income to fund your passion.

7. If you don’t like your job, think about changing it for something that might move you a little closer to completing your treasure map. Maybe, by leveraging the income from your home-business, you could take a part-time job doing something much more enjoyable. 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

8. Remember: Change can only come from making decisions and taking action. Practice being decisive. Practice taking action. You’ll notice that your confidence will rise in proportion to the number of decisions you make and the number of actions you take.

9. Gain clarity. By now you will have at least some awareness on where your future might be waiting for you and what it might look and feel like. What you need now is clarity. The clearer you get on everything the easier it is to move toward it, and as soon as you move toward it, it will move toward you. 10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

10. Hire a coach. Find a coach to help you bring all your ideas into focus and into reality. It will not only be the smartest investment in yourself that you’ve ever made, but it will also be the most permanent and fulfilling.

Life is here for us to enjoy, not endure. Find out what it is that your soul yearns for and what will make your heart sing. Others have done it, why not you? Take it one step at a time, one day at a time, and pursue this adventure we call Life.

Create your own treasure map and make a conscious, determined effort to follow it. There will be twists and turns along the way, so expect them. Now is the time. Make that decision and act upon it NOW!

10 Actions for Fulfilling Life

How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

Do you know the difference between training and exercise? Here it is, in its simplest terms:

Athletes train. The average person (this is most of us) exercises.

Training is the conscious act of working through a pre-developed workout program with an end goal of achieving something. For example, an athlete could be training for a marathon, a new weightlifting meet, or even a CrossFit competition. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

Exercising, on the other hand, is the basic act of getting active. In most cases, the goal here is to lose weight or build minimal muscles. However, the key downside – and the difference from an athlete’s workout – is that there is no concrete plan put in place. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

The Process How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

This leads us to the most important aspect of what motivates an athlete – the process.

We get so caught up in the idea that motivation should be based on always striving for the end goal. To a certain extent, having this idea in mind will help you to better see the outcome as a euphoric experience, but athletes have a different psychology. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

An athlete understands that every workout that leads up to their event – whatever it may be – is crucially important. By that measure, an athlete is motivated by their own actions each and every day.

Yes, many athletes will tell you that they strive to accomplish a particular task, that they have role models and people they look up to, but when it comes to motivation – athletes are very different than most of us. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

The most important part that separates an athlete’s motivation from most of us is that they have a deep ability to exercise through the grind. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

The Grind

The grind is a term used to describe the daily workings of an athlete’s training program, especially as it leads up to a competition.

Athletes have the most unique ability to almost love the grind. They thrive in settings where they are put to the test, where the pain is the only option, and where recovery is essential. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

The Take Home

Athletes have a unique psychology about the grind.

Most people will believe that they can look to the end goal as a source of motivation. Some people might even start using another person as an external motivation.

It really does not matter which you want to choose – none of them will be more effective than altering your psychology to match that of an elite athlete and their love for the grind.

Learn to Love the Grind in Your Pursuit of Your Goals How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

Loving the grind and being motivated by your daily work takes time and requires conscious effort. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

As an individual, you can start by developing a clear plan for your goals and how you can achieve them. Once you have successfully constructed a plan, you can begin the real training and develop your own love of the grind.

Join the ranks of athletes in their love for the grind. Make the most of every struggle and learn to thrive in situations where you are pushed past your comfort zone. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

How? Practice. Daily practice:

1. Make it a habit to step outside your comfort zone each day:

> Meet one new person.

> Ask that cute neighbor out on a date.

> Make one more sales call.

> Take a different route to work.

> Try a new sport.

> Take dance lessons.

> And many more!

2. Each day take one step towards achieving your goals. Overcome obstacles as they rise up to greet you. Practice creating solutions that work. These are all part of your daily grind. How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

Like an athlete, you can learn to enjoy the grind. Let your daily actions be your motivation to keep going, day in and day out.

When you can do this, you too will enjoy success!

How to Train Like an Athlete in Pursuit of Your Goals

Spontaneity – A Delectable Spice of Life: How You Can Get More of It

Most of us are creatures of habit who like to create routines for ourselves and stick with them. These routines can be helpful in some ways as they enable us to get things done. However, too much routine can leave you feeling like there certainly must be something more to life, wondering what it is, and how you can add it to your own life.

Becoming more spontaneous will add spice and adventure to your life and help you to leave boredom behind. Spontaneity – A Delectable Spice of Life: How You Can Get More of It

Luckily, there are some easy things you can do to add spontaneity to your life on a regular basis. Spontaneity – A Delectable Spice of Life: How You Can Get More of It

Get more out of life! Use these strategies to become more spontaneous:

1. Try things that you think you can’t do. You likely have a lot of limiting beliefs, most of which came with you from your childhood. What if you really could do those things? Wouldn’t that please you? Try some! You’ll find a freedom that you never knew you had!

2. Look at the world as though you were a child. Children are naturally curious. Rather than saying no to everything new, throw yourself into the unknown just like a child. You’ll gain a new perspective about life.

3. Make small changes to your regular routines. Being spontaneous doesn’t necessarily mean making massive changes to your life. Even small changes can lead to unexpected discoveries. Spontaneity – A Delectable Spice of Life: How You Can Get More of It

> Take a different route. For example, if you usually jog a certain route, try taking a different route to see what happens. Take the scenic route to work or home. Turn on a different street and see what’s there.

> Do something out of its regular order. When you shake up the routine a bit, it makes you see things differently. For example, switch around breakfast and supper. Eat dessert first. Add an extra playtime with your kids, even if it’s just one short game.

4. Make random choices. When it comes to making decisions, try something like a coin flip to decide which option to take.

5. Explore new activities. You’ll add all kinds of spice to your life! Spontaneity – A Delectable Spice of Life: How You Can Get More of It

> Let someone else choose the movie.

> Explore a place in your city that you’ve never been.

> Visit your local tourist attractions. It’s likely that, as a resident, you’ve never been there. Do some research into unusual places, like alligator farms or train museums. Spontaneity – A Delectable Spice of Life: How You Can Get More of It

> Choose a different type of vacation or destination. For example, instead of always going to the beach, go to the mountains. Try a new city or country.

> Try a new hobby. Take salsa lessons. Paint a picture. Learn to play a musical instrument. Go to a rodeo.

6. Dare yourself to do something that you’ve been afraid to do. For example, ask an attractive coworker out on a date or learn to dive. Not only will you help to conquer your fears, but you’ll also discover new experiences that you can add to your life. Spontaneity – A Delectable Spice of Life: How You Can Get More of It

Becoming more spontaneous doesn’t mean that you need to stop making plans or thinking long-term. Simply leave a little room for slight deviations and take action to do something differently each day. You’ll be glad you did!

Spontaneity – A Delectable Spice of Life: How You Can Get More of It

6 Techniques That Help You Manage Your Emotions

Emotions are tricky. They can dictate how we think and act. On the one hand, they’re vital to us as human beings. On the other, they can wreak havoc in our lives. The difference lies in how you manage them.

If we’re not careful, we may act on our emotions too quickly, which may lead us to making decisions that we come to regret. 6 Techniques That Help You Manage Your Emotions

Learn how to work with your emotions instead of letting them get the better of you!

Try these techniques to better manage your emotions: 6 Techniques That Help You Manage Your Emotions

1. Avoid reacting immediately. If a situation has triggered strong negative emotions, try to remove yourself from the situation, either mentally or physically.

> Walk away, if possible, perhaps to find a quiet place to perform some deep breathing exercises while you collect your thoughts. You can then return to the situation, safe in the knowledge that these emotions are just temporary.

> If you can’t walk away, take a moment to breathe deeply while you consider an appropriate response. The extra oxygen will help relax your muscles, calm your mind, and clarify your thoughts.

> Once you’ve calmed yourself, respond to the situation with a well-thought-out reply, rather than a knee-jerk reaction. 6 Techniques That Help You Manage Your Emotions

2. Look for divine guidance. Often those with faith are better able to control their emotions. When you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed by emotion, close your eyes and seek a positive solution, asking the universe, your higher power, the Divine, or even your inner wisdom for the best way forward. 6 Techniques That Help You Manage Your Emotions

3. Find a healthy outlet for your emotions. Once you’ve managed to control your emotions, it’s important to find a healthy way to release them. It’s never a good idea to bottle up your emotions, as eventually they’ll bubble over. Consider these ideas:

> Call or visit a friend or family member that you trust to talk about the situation and how you reacted. When you hear someone else’s opinion, you broaden your awareness and may be able to view the situation from a different perspective.

> You could also consider keeping a journal or diary in which to write down your feelings or emotions. Once you see the situation on paper, sometimes you’re able to see it more clearly. It may help you to release your emotions or spark ideas which help you to resolve the situation.

> For some people, aggressive forms of exercise help them deal with emotions, while others find that calmer methods such as yoga or meditation work best.

> Try these methods and see what works best for you.

4. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. When you experience negative emotions, you think negative thoughts, and vice versa. This can create a cycle of negativity that can be hard to break out of. 6 Techniques That Help You Manage Your Emotions

> Whenever you experience an emotion that causes you to think negatively, replace these thoughts with positive thoughts. You could try to play out the ideal resolution to your current issue, or simply think about someone or something that makes you happy.

5. Forgive what triggered you. What sets off an emotional reaction in you? Perhaps you feel anger when your friend does that thing you hate. Or perhaps you feel depressed thinking back at a decision you could have made differently.

> Forgive whatever is causing the negative emotions. This will help you to become detached from these triggers and may stop these emotional reactions from boiling over in the future.

When you take control of your emotions, you take control of your future! Practice these strategies and take back control of your life.

6 Techniques That Help You Manage Your Emotions

Taking Action is the Thing That Matters

Do you spend all of your free time reading and gathering information? Are you a self-help junkie that never seems to make any meaningful progress in your life? Are you trying to take your life to the next level by using the power of your mind alone?

How is that working for you? Taking Action is the Thing That Matters

Nothing changes until your behavior changes. Sure, you might feel better about your life after all of your mental gymnastics, but is anything actually happening in your life from all of these intellectual efforts?

Take action and watch your life change before your eyes!

Consider these ideas: Taking Action is the Thing That Matters

1. You have to do something for something to happen. Nothing happens until you act. You can’t wish or visualize your way to a plate of food, a fancy car, the partner or your dreams, or a successful business. Those things might make it easier for you to act, but you must still take action of some kind.

> Unless you’re telekinetic, you can’t even make a paperclip move across your desk without taking action.

> The more you want to accomplish, the bigger the action you’ll need to take.

2. It’s not what you can do that matters. It’s what you actually do that counts. The amount of capability you possess only increases the number of options you have available.

> Having options isn’t the same as choosing one and taking action.

3. Your beliefs, values, and thoughts influence your behavior. For example, if you believe that you’re smart, capable, and good looking, your behavior will be different than if you believe that you’re simple minded, incapable, and homely in appearance. Here are some more examples:

> Do you believe that failure is fine or to be avoided at all costs?

> Do you believe that most people are inherently good or inherently bad?

> Do you value safety or adventure?

> Do you have positive thoughts about your goals or negative?

> None of these things has any actual power in the world, other than that they can alter the choices you make and the actions you take. Taking Action is the Thing That Matters

4. The law of averages is ultimately on your side. If your dream is to play the piano, you can certainly do it. You simply have to keep trying. A pro pianist might play a certain piece better than you do, but you’ll most likely be successful eventually.

> When you take action, you get a result. You’re bound to get the result you want eventually if you take action long enough. Eventually, the law of averages will pay off.

> When you do nothing, you always fail.

5. Action creates potential. When you take action, you can learn from your results. When you take action, things change. New opportunities become available. You might meet a new person that can help you get what you want. When you take the first step, the next step appears. Taking Action is the Thing That Matters

> Things start happening when you start moving. Nothing happens while you’re learning, scheming, and planning.

Things begin to change when your behavior changes. You’ve proven this to yourself thousands of times throughout your life. Your life changed when you started school, changed schools, and made new friends. Your life was different after you made permanent changes to your diet or started a new diet. Taking Action is the Thing That Matters

You can’t just accumulate knowledge, daydream, or make grand plans. You have to DO new things.

When your behavior changes, your life changes. How do you want your life to change? What can you DO to make it happen? When will you get started?

Taking Action is the Thing That Matters